In the art of cargo load handling and manipulation such as typified by various known conveyors, chutes, skids, guides and ways, it is well known to provide guides to enhance the ease and efficiency of moving cargo loads. For example, in air freight operations it is well known to provide a variety of skids, rollers, guides, hold-downs and the like in the cargo hold of an aircraft to permit greater ease and efficiency in the handling of large cargo loads such as unitized cargo load containers.
The art is replete with examples of such apparatus and includes, without limitation, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,462,493, 4,807,735, 4,909,372, 4,823,927, 2,973,073, 3,209,880, 2,468,925, 3,402,802, 4,000,870, 3,986,460, 4,077,590, 4,583,896, 4,498,823, 4,134,345, 4,875,645, 3,741,504 and 4,388,030. Among the above listed patents, number 2,468,925 discloses a floor roller mounted on a spring biased, pivotally moveable carrier by which the roller may be moved between a stowed position in the floor and a deployed position projecting above the floor. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,896 discloses an aircraft cargo restraint which is moveable between deployed and stowed positions using a spring biased over-center actuating structure including elements which provide a pin connection having an idle stroke.